Accommodating IOL with Resilient Movement Assembly
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional intraocular lenses (IOLs) do not provide effective accommodation for viewing both near and distant objects, lacking the ability to refocus the eyes as needed, and their manufacturing methods do not adequately address material selection and flexibility for optimal optical qualities and insertion through small incisions.
Innovation Solution
The development of accommodating IOLs with a movement assembly made from a less stiff or more resilient polymeric material than the optic, allowing for increased axial movement and improved accommodation, using materials like cross-linked acrylics and silicon-containing polymers, and manufacturing methods that involve co-curing or insert molding to create composite components.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a stiff material is used for the movement assembly, then the optic maintains stable positioning, but the accommodation ability deteriorates due to reduced flexibility for axial movement
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by using different materials with different stiffness properties in different parts of the IOL. The optic is made from a stiffer material (first polymer) to maintain stable positioning, while the movement assembly is made from a more flexible material (second polymer) to enable accommodation. This spatial differentiation of material properties resolves the contradiction between stable positioning and accommodation ability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs composite materials by combining two different polymeric materials in a single IOL structure. The first polymer provides structural stability for the optic, while the second polymer provides flexibility for the movement assembly. This composite approach allows the IOL to simultaneously achieve both stable positioning and accommodation functionality.
2Adaptability or versatility
If a flexible material is used for the movement assembly, then the accommodation ability improves, but the manufacturing precision deteriorates due to material deformation during processing
Solution Approach 1:
The patent addresses manufacturing precision by carefully selecting polymer materials and controlling processing parameters such as curing temperature and timing. The second polymer is chosen to have appropriate viscosity and curing characteristics that allow it to be molded into precise geometric configurations while maintaining its flexible properties. This parameter control enables the flexible movement assembly to be manufactured with sufficient precision.
3Reliability
If different materials are used for optic and movement assembly, then the optical qualities improve, but the device complexity increases due to multi-material manufacturing
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the optic and movement assembly into a single integrated IOL structure made from two polymers. Rather than manufacturing separate components and assembling them, the invention combines both functional elements into one piece during a single manufacturing process. This merging reduces assembly complexity while maintaining the optical quality benefits of differentiated materials.
Solution Approach 2:
The use of composite polymeric materials allows the optic and movement assembly to be formed as an integral unit. The first and second polymers are combined in a way that creates a unified structure with distinct functional zones, simplifying the overall device while maintaining the advantages of material differentiation for optical performance.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enhances accommodation ability, allowing for effective refocusing between near and far vision while maintaining optical quality and enabling insertion through small incisions without loss of accommodative functionality.
Implementation Method 1
The term 'stiffness', as used herein, shall be understood to relate to the amount of elastic deformation a material undergoes when subjected to a given amount of force
Data Source
AI summary
An accommodating IOL comprises an optic adapted to focus light toward a retina of an eye, and a movement assembly coupled to the eye to provide effective accommodating movement, preferably axial movement, of the optic. At least a portion of the movement assembly is made from a material that is less stiff and/or more resilient than the material used to make the optic. Optionally, an outer ring or support portion made at least partially from either a relatively stiff material such as the material used in the optic or a relatively resilient material such as the material used in the movement assembly is also provided.